Blog

How is Biokineticist, Habib Noorbhai, planning for the Mr South Africa 2016 finals?

When acquiring a health and fitness goal, the concept of inviduality is key. At some point, a person who has trained for a long time gets accustomed to their bodies and knows how their body would respond to various exercises, eating habits, sleep and recovery. In essence, certain exercises or eating regimes that one does cannot be based on a mesocycle (short-term based). It has to be consistent and form part of one’s lifestyle. However, when athletes and individuals are preparing for sports or events, the last 4 weeks of preparations are crucial in leveraging their performance. I call it: from 4th to 5th gear of training.

Among other qualities, Mr South Africa is striving to find the perfect aspirational man; balanced in health with a fit physique. One can define health in numerous ways. Example: If you have rock hard abs and are well defined, are you healthy? No, this implies a fit and adequate physique. Health can incorporate various clinical and health measures such as normal blood pressure ranges, heart rate, glucose, cholesterol and body fat percentage. If one has an FBC (Full blood count) done at the hospital, they would be able to gauge their health values ranging from cholesterol and triglycerides, kidney function, liver functions, white and red blood cell count and more. I ultimately believe, that if these are within normal ranges, then one can define themselves as healthy.

Moving on to my personal 4-week preparation for the Mr South Africa Finals, which takes place on the 24th November at the Rand Airport in Johannesburg; it involves smart training, a low carbohydrate eating plan, adequate sleep and pre and post measurements.

Smart trainingFrequency: 5 days / week (gym) and 1 day active rest (hike) and 1 day complete restIntensity: Moderate to highType: Endurance-based with an emphasis on strengthDuration: between 60 and 90 minutes all-inclusive

Note: I do the above on all 5 days. For me, consistency where my body becomes accustomed to this on a routinely basis is key.

Low carbohydrate eating planThere is a lot of debate in this area where if one needs to build muscle, then they need to have a required amount of carbohydrates for energy. I am not a Dietician but I am a scientist; research has recently emerged to show the evidence behind the association of low carbohydrates on sport performance / training. The basics of nutrition has taught us that 1 gram of carbohydrate provides 4k/cal, 1 gram of protein provides 4k/cal and 1 gram of fat provides 9 k/cal. One can still rely on healthy fats as a reserves source of energy fuel. Throughout the week, I choose from my 3 meal plans. Remember, this eating plan works for me and it may not work for you. If further advice or guidelines are needed, please consult with a Dietician.

Option 1:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs and 1 cup of coffee with full-fat creamSnacks: biltong throughout the dayLunch: Tuna with cottage cheese or Tuna with avocado and corianderSupper: ½ chicken with vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and pumpkin) and mushroom sauce

Option 2:

Breakfast: same as Option 1Snacks: AlmondsLunch: Tuna with cottage cheese or Tuna with avocado and corianderSupper: 250g steak with sweet potato and pumpkin

Option 3:

Breakfast: same as option 1 and 2Snacks: Mixed berries and YoghurtLunch: Tuna with cottage cheese or Tuna with avocado and corianderSupper: Fish with spinach and cream cheese

Note: breakfasts and lunches stay the same (consistency) but suppers and snacks vary (so that its not monotonous). 2 liters of water is consumed throughout the day.On average, each meal costs R30 which would work out to approximately R3400 over 4 weeks. This is obviously ideal for those within the working, middle or upper classes.

Sleep

On average, 7 hours per night. This can range between 6 and 8 hours depending on the day in the week.

MindsetTo prepare mentally, I pray, watch comedy 1 hour a day, read at least 2 hours a day (journal articles, blogs, a book, etc) and drive for at least 30 minutes during the day to improve focus.